Outrageous

By R. Neal

I just saw a report on MSNBC from the convention center in New Orleans. There are thousands of people there, families with children, infants, and elderly. They have no water. They have no food. They have no baby formula. They have no medical assistance. They have nothing. They are desperate, and they are furious.

These people were told buses would come and take them to shelters. The same report said that people are being kicked out of the Superdome. There were photos of buses there being mobbed. The reporter said that thousands of buses are lined up on the highway to take people to shelters but can't or won't come in to the area because it isn't safe. There is nobody there to coordinate the evacuation. There is no National Guard on the scene to provide security.

The reporter said that she had been there four days. She said she has heard about all the provisions that the federal government had rushed to the scene, but says that she and her crew have not seen any of it. Nothing. People are dying there. They are begging for help.

I just got off the phone with the office of my Congressman in Washington. I told the aide who answered that I wanted to know why these people weren't getting provisions. I wanted to know why there wasn't anybody there coordinating the evacuation. I told the aide that I wanted my Congressman to walk over to the White House right now and ask President Bush why the federal government is not helping these people and demand that the President take action. The aide said he would pass my message along.

Call your Congressman. Let them know these people need help and that they aren't getting it. Put the pressure on until somebody gets off their ass and starts getting things done. Don't e-mail. Don't fax. Call them on the phone at their offices in Washington and demand action.

OK, then.

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